During the Great Depression, Kip Tiernan’s grandmother opened her kitchen to feed people in need. At that time people would mark an “X” on the sidewalk outside their homes to signify a safe place to get help. Kip saw firsthand how simple acts of kindness could help people through dark times.
In 1974, Kip started to distribute food from her station wagon to those in need and later founded what we now know as The Greater Boston Food Bank (GBFB). From these humble beginnings, the organization has grown into the leading hunger-relief agency in New England and one of the largest in the country.
Today GBFB provides over 61.8 million pounds of healthy food each year, feeding more than 142,000 people each month.
GBFB is committed to increasing food distribution to provide three meals a day to every person in need in Eastern Massachusetts while supporting healthy lives and healthy communities.
Partnering with The Lynch Foundation
Recognizing that the opportunity allowed for much needed capital to support the capacity to serve more people in need, The Lynch Foundation initiated its relationship with the Greater Boston Food Bank with a major, multi-year gift to help close out the Fighting Hunger, Feeding Hope capital campaign in 2010.
The campaign was launched in response to the 23% increase for food assistance following the 2008 recession. The acquisition of the 117,000 square foot Yawkey Distribution Center enabled the GBFB to adequately respond to the immediate increase in need – as well as address the longer issue of the over 300% growth in food distribution they had sustained since their opening in 1993.
The Foundation’s support has helped to:
- Grow the GBFB’s food distribution from 31 million pounds of food in 2010 to 61 million pounds in 2020
- An 84% nutritional quality index ranking
- 190 cities and towns served in Eastern Massachusetts